Fill-ups of the future

How would you like to get coffee & food coupons, MP3s, video files, auto diagnostic information, targeted advertising, and more–all at the gas pump? Ten Square's OuterNet point-of-sale (POS) network will give 150 million consumers those abilities by the end of the year. In partnership with leading petroleum companies like BP and Texaco, Ten Square wants to install OuterNet at “petroleum facilities,” which are gas stations that have a convenience store and a fast food restaurant (Wal-Mart runs many “petroleum facilities”). Another difference between a petroleum facility and the standard gas-station we all think of is scale: petroleum facilities pump 1.3 million gallons of gas a month, while normal gas stations pump that much over a whole year.

OuterNet has an interactive POS device at the pump, a local server at the facility, and a link to Ten Square's global processing center. To make OuterNet attractive, Ten Square will enter into revenue-sharing relationships with companies that want to advertise, content providers, petroleum facility owners, gas pump maintenance companies, petroleum companies, and more. To get consumers inside the convenience stores and restaurants, the POS device will offer coupons, loyalty points, personalized news, giveaways, and more. Ten Square's Elapsed Time Management system will create specific content, ads, and offers geared to different consumer profiles that it gauges from a consumers' behavior at the pump (including what time of day it is).

Ten Square also has a deal with Sensoria, which makes an in-car telematics system called AutoWINS. Sensoria's RF 2.4 GHz wireless technology will let AutoWINS tell the POS device if the car needs servicing (e.g., if it needs oil) and will also handle the 11 Mbps MP3 and video file downloading.

SAM'S OPINION
This sounds very cool, but I'm not sure I'll really want to be bothered with targeted ads and offers when I'm at the pump. Plus, if I'm in a hurry or if I really just want to get gas, I don't think I'll particularly care if the pump is giving me a coupon for 25 cents off a cup of coffee that I have to go into the store to get. I'm sure there are many people who will be interested in that kind of thing, however, so I'm sure Ten Square will have some luck with this OuterNet system. I'm also not familiar with what a “petroleum facility” is–I've been to gas stations that have a convenience store, but I've never been to one that has a restaurant … outside of truck stops, that is.

Unfortunately, the really cool stuff OuterNet offers, like file downloading and car diagnostic info, will only work if your car has AutoWINS. AutoWINS is supposed to be out this summer, but it will have to compete with all the other telematics systems the automakers are developing. Plus, downloading MP3s to the car means very little if you don't have an in-dash MP3 player, which exist but which aren't really popular or widespread yet.

However, I think the capabilities the OuterNet system illustrates will eventually be built into all cars and most gas stations, and that should be pretty neat.

USER COMMENTS 16 comment(s)

No Self-Serve in NJ(6:40pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)I still have to sit in my car, wait for some dude to come over to it and stick a nozzle into my car. When he's done, he takes my credit card, goes over to a little booth, submits my info, then waits for clearance. Then, he comes back to my car with my card and a little carbon paper to sign. I get the yellow copy.

How do I surf the net or get advertising? Is the troll who lives in the booth going to offer me coupons? Is he going to replace his eternal question of “Would you like me to check your oil”? with “Would that be rock or classical for your free .MP3”?

I'll believe that gas stations in New Jersey will change when I see it. I suppose that the booth-troll lobby is pretty strong in our neck of the woods. – by HungryWolverine

I don't need tailored presentations at the pump. More to the point, I don't WANT this stuff.

Just cheaper gas. That's all.

– by DeafDude

What's wrong with sevice?(7:12pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)I never understand why some of my fellow NJites ack like full-service stations are a bad thing. Esp when you to NY and CT where self-serve is the rule and prices are much higher! Thanks, but I'm quite happy with full-service stations!

And, to get back on topic, coupons and other POS hold no appeal.– by AlsoInNJ

What's wrong with sevice?(7:12pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)I never understand why some of my fellow NJites act like full-service stations are a bad thing. Esp when you look to NY and CT where self-serve is the rule and prices are much, much higher! Thanks, but I'm quite happy with lower priced gas at full-service stations!

And, to get back on topic, coupons and other POS hold no appeal.– by AlsoInNJ

I love coupons(7:22pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)I'm all for it. I'd go in and get a cup of coffee if I could get a deal on it. I'm a sucker for that stuff. – by chiefgeek

Not for me(7:51pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)when I get gas I get gas . when I get food I go to the supermarket when I want MP3's I D/L them on my computer. I HATE waiting for a pump at rush hour while someone is buying milk, bread, cigs and now I have to wait for MP3 downloads. NO THANKS I just want to get home to my family and not run out of gas – by keeping it simple

coupons?(7:56pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)i guess you have to be a coupon type person to like that sorta thing. i myself tend to throw away stuff, unless it's like your food store card coupon or something. ANyway, that autowins sounds really cool…does it check the airpressure in tires too?

and DeafDude, CHEAPER GAS WOULD BE AWESOME! – by goingbroke

Autowins?(8:00pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)Where can I find out more info on this autowins thing?? – by clueless

NJ = Sevice???(9:00pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)AlsoInNJ –

Where do you go to get this thing called “service” at a gas station in New Jersey?

I have no problem pulling up to pumps in NJ. There is never a wait. I work in CT, so I also buy gas in NY/NJ/CT. I also think their prices are higher, and try to avoid the other states.

My big problem is waiting at the pump. I have pulled up to pumps and sat for 4-5 minutes without ever getting a station attendant to come over and start fueling me up. I can see him doing things in the booth or helping other cars. This has become the norm around my house in northern Bergen County. I think that there is now a limit of one booth troll per 16 pumps at gas stations around my house. It seems to be a huge waste of everyone's time to depend on *one* minimum wage serf to “service” everyone at a crowded station.

[SIDE NOTE: I Don't even ask why there are 20 checkout aisles at some of the supermarkets in the area, either. I haven't seen one with more than 6-7 aisles open at a time. Ever.]

I have taken to only going to a few stations where I know the guy will come right over to my car when I get there.

For me, it's almost worth paying $2.00 more to fill up in Connecticut instead of sitting for 10 minutes waiting to get gas.– by HungryWolverine

Huh?(6:23pm EST Mon Jan 29 2001)When is it gonna end? Are they gonna have microwaves at these pumps so you can reheat that coffee you just saved 5 cents on. hey wait maybe this is a good idea after all…maybe someone can hack these things and lower the damn gas prices, yeah! – by txgeek

Gimme da gas and let's go!(12:54am EST Tue Jan 30 2001)Somewhere I imagine these things get started either by someone eyeing a new cash cow or someobody complaining about being bored waiting.

I go to the gas station for gas, crummy food is an afterthought. I don't particulary relish the idea of waiting even longer for the gas while I get focused ads and wait for the yahoo in front to download Eminem's latest masterpiece.

How are they going to target these ads from your behavior at the pump? Video cameras? Cookies from what you download? Sounds like eventually another wedge in privacy, as anything you do anymore seems to be gist for yet another advertising campaign. – by Grrr!!!!

Private “money” sux goats(2:30am EST Tue Jan 30 2001)Hate to say it, but it does. Private money [that which can only be spent 'here', albeit for a discounted worthless product like stale coffee] is a pathologically '90's idea that is possibly the worst thing we've become accustomed to.

My kids get spiff points whenever they buy something that carries the right product code [and save the zebra attached]. Then we have to redeem it for piles of crappy pizza or some such stuff.

No, I agree with the fellow who said “how about cheaper gas?” In fact, I'd go so far to say – “how about a nice CASH discount at the pump instead of taxing us CASH types for the 2.5% cost imposed by the @#$%^ credit card users?” (Oh yah, that's currently cannonized as “illegal” in the State of California because of CreditCo lobbyists and special interest groups)

Gas stations need to be gas stations. Cars need to be cars. Would people really want a filet-o-flatsteak medium-burnt for 35 cents off because of some flippin coupon? BULL.

– by GoatGuy

POS(4:22am EST Tue Jan 30 2001)that term still makes me giggle. It's also oddly fitting to the idea, but in the Piece of Shit sense. – by bleh

“Diagnostics”(6:26am EST Tue Jan 30 2001)Is anyone else skeptical of free “diagnostics at the pump”? What a justification for spam. How will we maintain some semblance of privacy (freedom from spam) into the future?

Maybe the answer is to stock up on EVERYTHING once a month like our forefathers. – by Generation D

Diagnostics?(6:00pm EST Tue Jan 30 2001)Yeah, right! I'' trust my ears and nose before I trust some Microsponge run tool to try to tell me my car has something wrong with it. It probably can only handle a rice-burner anyway.

TR-6 (no computers on-board and loving it) – by Triumph

Cash Discount(6:37pm EST Tue Nov 30 2004)I'd have no problem with your suggestion of offering a discount to cash customers at gas stations, GoatGuy. Often it is illegal to have a credit surcharge, but it is legal to offer a cash 'discount'. The problem is that the gas stations that do this need to post the full price (aka Credit price) on the sign, instead of the discounted price with no mention of the fact that you'll pay more with the card. That really pisses me off. – by Mitler